Assistant Professor Immersive Arts / Media, University of Bristol, Mumbai

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated and accomplished Assistant Professor in Immersive Arts / Media to join our growing academic team at the University’s Mumbai Enterprise Campus (MEC), a flagship transnational education initiative of the University of Bristol set to open its doors in 2026, coinciding with the University’s 150th anniversary.

The role will contribute to curriculum and research development, and strengthen the University’s academic reputation through teaching, innovation, high-impact research, and external engagement. The successful candidate will be expected to deliver high-quality teaching, lead independent research initiatives, and support the broader academic and administrative development of the department. The role will report to the Professor / Associate Professor and have dotted lines reporting and collaboration to a senior academic (Head of School of Arts) in the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences (ALSS). This position offers a platform for career advancement, including the potential for progression to Associate Professor based on performance and institutional contribution.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership, Culture, and Engagement

Participate in faculty committees, academic events, student recruitment, and quality assurance processes.

Contribute to institutional development and participating in training and capacity-building initiatives.

Build industry and/or academic partnerships that enhance the University’s visibility and engagement with external stakeholders.

Work collaboratively with Professional Services partners to deliver delegated administrative and governance duties.

Teaching

Design and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate courses in core and elective areas of immersive arts and emerging creative technologies/digital media.

Contribute to curriculum development initiatives and contribute to academic programme design in collaboration with senior colleagues and faculty teams.

Contribute and promote innovative teaching strategies that improve student experience, transferable skills creation and employability prospects.

Play a role in curriculum development and contextualisation, programme accreditation, programme enhancement and the maintenance of quality assurance standards within the university.

Research

Supervise student research projects, theses, and internships, providing academic guidance and mentoring.

Build an excellent record of high-quality publications in reputable, peer-reviewed academic journals, or recognised discipline-specific outputs, actively contributing to the international discourse in Immersive Arts / Media.

Pursue research funding and build interdisciplinary collaborations across the university network.

Essential Criteria

A completed PhD in immersive arts or media, VR/AR/XR, interactive or spatial storytelling, or a closely related field of research.

Evidence of ability to teach to a very high standard at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

An emerging track record of high-quality scholarly research, with potential to publish in highly ranked journals.

Evidence of excellent organisational and administrative skills.

Excellent communication, leadership, and collaborative skills.

Demonstrates a proactive approach to professional development.

Knowledge of the histories and contexts, current developments, debates, issues and key theoretical concepts related to immersive arts and technologies, VR/AR/MR and/or interactive or spatial storytelling.

Experience of supervising, creative direction or design of VR/AR/MR projects.

Experience of practical teaching of immersive experience design, immersive performance/installation, interactive narrative design or XR screenwriting, virtual environment design, 3D animation, or games design, especially VR, AR or MR

Desirable Criteria

Between 2 and 10 years of academic experience post-PhD

Post-PhD experience in teaching, research, or a combination of both in a higher education setting

Strong mentoring, academic advising, and supervisory skills.

Established partnerships with immersive and media industries in Mumbai and/or nationally, and/or with other sectors in which XR technologies are being applied, such as immersive heritage.

Professional experience of creating XR content, technology-enabled immersive performance or installation: creative direction, immersive experience design, interactive narrative, virtual production or 3D animation, or games design, especially VR, AR or MR.

Experience in software and techniques related to immersive technologies/spatial computing and digital media, such as Unity, Unreal Engine, Autodesk Maya, Blender, Touch Designer, motion and volumetric capture, photogrammetry/3D scanning, spatial audio, 360 filmmaking and editing (e.g. DaVinci Resolve), AR/VR design/prototyping tools (e.g. Stornoway, Shapes XR, Figma), CGI and visual effects production (e.g. After Effects).

Experience using hardware related to immersive technologies, e.g. VR headsets, mobile handsets, 360 cameras, projection mapping, and/or spatial audio microphones and speakers.

For any concerns regarding your application, kindly reach out to us at careers@daskalos.com